In the Bay Area more realistic numbers seem to be around $2000 for a beater and $2000/year for fixing things that go wrong with it (mostly labour costs, $120-15

In the Bay Area more realistic numbers seem to be around $2000 for a beater and $2000/year for fixing things that go wrong with it (mostly labour costs, $120-150/hour at independent shops here.) Had my commute been a little less (bringing me under 15K miles a year) the overall cost was remarkably similar to a lease on a modest car.